Egypt: Report details north Sinai flood damage

It said flash floods on and after 18 January left 780 homes totally destroyed, 1,076 submerged and the area suffered material losses of over US$25.3 million.

The destroyed homes would cost the government $3.5 million in compensation, said the report produced by the Crisis Management Centre in north Sinai in cooperation with the Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre.

The government has promised to give 25,000 Egyptian pounds ($$4,587) compensation to the owners of destroyed homes and 15,000 Egyptian pounds ($2,752) to those whose homes were partially damaged or submerged.

The report also said the floods ruined 59km of roads, killed 1,838 animals and felled 27,820 (mostly olive) trees.

Officials in north Sinai said the city of al-Arish was worst affected. Al-Arish Hospital suffered about $1.8 million in medical equipment losses, according to the report.

Irrigation Minister Mohamed Nasreldeen blamed the government for the extent of the flood damage. On a visit to Sinai on 28 January he said the government had built homes and villages very close to gullies that had long been known to be conduits for floodwater.

"This is unacceptable everywhere in the world," he said.